KARACHI: In the early 20th century, perhaps even before that, a question was raised in a not-so-formal manner by those involved with the creative lot: should art be difficult? To date, the answer to this question hasn’t yet been ascertained to the satisfaction of all and sundry. It is understandable. In fact, any question related to the process of creativity is not easy to respond to. After all, art is serious matter.

Paul-Mehdi Rizvi has established credentials as an artist. One of the rubrics that he’s been using for his shows, Artists for the Manifesto of Nomadism, has further cemented his position as a creative individual with a penchant for nonlinear expression.

His latest exhibition curated by Manizhe Ali under the same title with the addendum Games with Time,which concluded at the Art Chowk Gallery over the weekend, is another intriguing display of powerful exhibits. This is a show that reaffirms one’s belief that Pakistani art is diverse, meaningful and complex.

Rizvi’s output is also a reflection of his rational approach to craft. By this one means that unlike a big number of painters and sculptors in our country he likes to read. So when in his statement he says “over the past two years, research in the visuality of the Russian avant-garde and in Russian formalism has had an effect on the production of the works included in Games with Time” he makes the viewer known where he’s coming from. And yet his effort is distinctly individualistic. His interplay of strong colours and text with uninhibited use of pigments that add an extra zing to the strokes is worth looking at over and over again.

The ‘Conversation’ series (polyurethane binder, acrylics, powder pigment and paper on board/canvas) is a fine example. At the same time, his ability to investigate the difficult aspects of existence, such as in the piece called ‘Island of the Dead’, with imaginative ease is pretty special.

Here is an artist who ‘talks less and says a lot’.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2024